Ministry of Textiles
Ministry of Textiles to celebrates International Women’s Day by organising week long programme at Handloom Haat
As part of the International Women’s Day celebration, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India is organising a week long celebratory programme at Handloom Haat, Janpath, New Delhi. Handloom and handicraft sectors are a symbol of our country’s rich and varied cultural heritage, besides being one of the key sectors providing employment to a large number of people, especially women.
In this 75th year of India’s independence, 75 Stalls will be put up by women handloom weavers, craft persons, entrepreneurs, designers. Many of these are master craft persons and national awardees and Women-founded/led organisations.
Circularity in textiles aims to shift from the take-make-dispose linear value chain into a circular system where value is retained for a longer period. Circularity in fashion underlines a major gender narrative by including women at the centre of the transformation. To honour and motivate such change makers across the value chain, special focus is on circular strategies, processes and end products that go beyond the traditional linear model and focus on extending the life of the product. Invitees are women-founded/led organisations who are focused on reducing waste in the value stream by employing different circular strategies like recycle, repair, reuse/remanufacture, rental and resale. With these strategies in place, these women are spear-heading the movement to reduce the load on the landfills and derive value out of waste.
Similarly, sustainability is one of the important aspect in the current context especially as per SDG obligations/commitments. Handloom and Handicraft per se qualify as the most sustainable sectors traditionally on all fronts like self-employment to women, natural local raw material, natural dyes, recycled material etc. creating harmony between all the elements in the ecosystem.
The Other Major attractions are:
- Visitors would be able to buy genuine handloom and handicraft articles directly from the weavers and craft persons.
- Sale of famous weaves and handcrafted saris/fabric including Chanderi , Paithani, Kanchipuram Saris, LucknowiChikankari, Kota Doria. Chikankari, Bagru/Sanganer Block Print, Tie & Dye.
- Sale of handcrafted items including Jewellery, Kalmkari, KolhapuriChappals, , Handbags, Clutches, Fashion accessories, Lac Bangles, Cane & Bamboo items, Terracotta, Zari &Zardozi, Embroidery & Crochet, including Phulkari, Jute articles.
- Live Demonstration and Activity Corner – Handloom weaving, Lac Bangle making, Potter’s wheel etc.
- Cultural Programmes/Live performances by women folk, tribal dancers and musicians. Traditional puppetry  display.
- Workshops on sustainability; weaver connect with designers; product diversification.
- Corner/disseminating information relating to benefits available for Handloom weavers and craft persons including credit facility, insurance.
- Traditional cuisine and flavours.
In Handicrafts and Handloom Sector there are unorganised sectors, providing livelihood to approx. 65 lakhs of artisans and weavers including 25.46 Lakh women in Handloom and 20 lakh women in Handicraft sector across the country.
Specific Pehchan Identity cards are issued to individuals of Handicraft and Handloom sector practising the particular craft.
20 women artisans have been conferred Shilp Guru and 181 women artisans have been conferred National award till date. Annually 5 National Awards for handicraft are reserved exclusively for women artisans.
6 women weavers have been conferred with Sant Kabir Award and 73 women weavers have been conferred with National Award. Kamladevi Chattopadhyay awards are exclusivelygiven to honour women weavers.